The Hunting of Orion
by iridescent mists
Summary: The Pleiades were seven sweet innocent maidens who happened to catch the eye of Orion. Right? Well, that was Orion's version. This is theirs... Please R&R! Chapter 3 now finally up!
1. Introduction

Introduction

This is a retelling of the story of Orion and the Pleiades, one of the many Greek stories about the constellations. It involves the area surrounding the constellation of Orion, known as the Great Hunting Scene of Orion.

To the northwest of Orion is the constellation of Taurus, the bull, and in the centre of Taurus, in line with the belt stars of Orion, is a beautiful star cluster known as the Pleiades, or the Seven Sisters, the daughters of Atlas and Pleione.

To the southeast of Orion, also in line with the belt stars, is the star Sirius, part of Canis Major. To the north east of Orion is the constellation of Canis Minor, of which the brightest star is called Procyon. These are Orion's two faithful hunting dogs, which follow him through the sky.

Traditionally, Orion is portrayed with his club raised above his head, and his shield held out (the faint curve of stars between Orion and Taurus), fighting the bull. Supposedly, he is trying to win through to the Pleiades, who he saw out in the forest one day while he was hunting, and instantly fell in love with. He pursued the fair maidens, who fled in terror and eventually called on the gods to save them. The gods sent Taurus to protect them. Hence Orion and Taurus are eternally fighting up in the night sky, while the Pleiades huddle, frightened, behind Taurus.

Or at least, that's how the story is supposed to go…


	2. Pleione's Lament

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, the constellations, or the stars, although it might be nice…

**Chapter 1:** Pleione's Lament

It's hard growing up, when your father is a mountain. He's never there to give any guidance, or support, and most especially to administer any discipline. Even so, Pleione felt that was no real excuse for the way her daughters had turned out. She was going to have to face the facts. She'd raised a pack of hell-hounds.

It had started small, when they were young. She'd thought it harmless at the time – even encouraged it, buying them toy bows and arrows, taking them to meet their first-cousin-once-removed Artemis. She'd thought they would grow out of it – settle down into some proper maidenly pursuits. She'd been wrong.

It just wasn't _right_, this unhealthy obsession with the hunt. They spent all their time out in the forest, away from any potential suitors, and only came home to drop off their latest trophy, blood-stained and reeking, requesting it plucked, or cleaned, or skinned, or roasted. Why, they spent more time with their hounds than with their own dear mother. And their hair was always knotted, and grubby, and Electra insisted on cutting hers short, no matter what Pleione said, and their skin was beyond redemption, all weathered and tanned and scratched…

It was all very well for Artemis – _she_ was a goddess. Or those nymphs – well, everyone knew what nymphs were like. But she'd been trying so hard to raise a set of _ladies_… Surely one or two wouldn't have been too much to ask for? One or two, out of seven? All she wanted was a daughter she could take to respectable occasions…


	3. The Greatest Hunter on Earth

**A/N: **Thanks very much to Valiowk, Hyel, and Aerinha for reviewing. I'm sure this story is going somewhere, even if I'm no longer sure quite where. Updates from now on will hopefully be more frequent (although I'm not putting anything down in writing in case someone tries to hold me to it).

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**Chapter 2:** The Greatest Hunter on Earth

A few valleys away, in the forest, the girls knew nothing of their mother's brooding. Nor, when it came down to it, would they have cared much if they had. Dinner parties, and fancy dresses and good behaviour were all far too boring. The only thing that really mattered in life was the hunt. Speaking of which, Merope was sure she could see something moving in that clump of trees on top of the next ridge… She signalled to Sirius to circle behind the ridge and flush out whatever was there towards them, then, after a moment's thought, sent Procyon to do the same from the other direction. Normally they would have more dogs with them, making it easier to run down their quarry, but unfortunately a minor epidemic of worms had broken out in the kennels. Only their two favourite dogs, Sirius and his younger brother Procyon, who had separate kennels of their own and were fed straight from the table (much to Pleione's despair), were spared. Nevertheless, they would cope. It might even make it more fun.

A short distance away, Orion, the Greatest Hunter on Earth, was busy turning the air around him blue with cursing. Three days hunting, three miserable, lousy, humid, bug-filled days, and all he had to show for it was a scratch down one arm from a thorn-bush and some new bruises. And he was on the verge of losing a bet. Not that it was really his fault – surely he couldn't be held accountable for any foolish proclamations made under the influence of too much alcohol… although Aechylon hadn't seen things that way. So now he was stuck out here in the wilderness, searching for something that probably didn't even exist, and rapidly losing his temper, along with his bet. And _still_ no sign of that blasted unicorn!

With a yell of rage, he snatched up his club from where it was lying at the base of a nearby cypress tree, and hurled it high into the air. (Although he didn't know it, the flicker of motion as the club just cleared the canopy caught the watchful eye of Merope, down in the valley below). Orion smiled with satisfaction as he watched the club crash through foliage on its way back down, eventually landing in a nearby bush with a resounding _thud_. He felt much better for that. Striding over to reclaim his weapon, he parted the branches, only to find an extremely dead hare lying beneath the end of the club, a surprised expression still visible on its face. He smirked in pleasure – he'd finally made a kill! Just went to show, a little destructive mayhem never hurt anything. Well, except for the hare.

Now for the unicorn…

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As always, thank you very much for reading, and if you liked it, please feel free to review.

- iridescent mists -


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